


At Last

by FemslashUniverse



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Chuckles is somewhat of a creeper, Delayed Romance, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy, Happy Ending, Love, Love Confessions, Sappy, Sweet, admitting feelings, angsty, did I say angsty?, happy feels, this is kind of all over the place, we deserve happy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:40:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22641991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemslashUniverse/pseuds/FemslashUniverse
Summary: Kathryn battles herself when she believes she’s witnessed an intimate moment between her First Officer and the woman she loves, her Astrometrics Officer. While Chakotay pursues Seven of Nine, the part-Borg has been pining for the Captain for months. With Seven’s fear of rejection and Kathryn’s fear of being inappropriate, the two women nearly miss their opportunity to admit their love for one another.
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine
Comments: 24
Kudos: 134





	1. Chapter 1

Kathryn entered the mess hall with a smile, despite the boredom that the entire crew was going through, she’d found some muted, delirious joy in throwing herself into holonovels and challenging work-outs. She’d never really been that out of shape, but it felt good to gain some muscle mass and shed a little extra fat, and she rather liked how the extra strength made her feel sassy and confident. 

Neelix greeted her with a big smile, one of the only other crew members who seemed to smile lately. She suspected he kept a secret stash of actual alcohol around—no one was quite so happy  _ all _ the time, not like he was. He slopped a gob of goo onto her tray, which she swore she saw move. This unfortunate meal wasn’t going to keep her down though. She’d grin and bare it with a half-amused expression and a smile that only seemed to build on one side of her face. 

She grabbed an apple from a basket at the end of the bar, and Neelix waved to her, he’d bring her the coffee as soon as it was ready. She debated waiting for it but decided she would test her Cook to see if he was still keeping a tight ship. Might as well, there was nothing else to do. 

She turned around and the air was kicked out of her in one fell swoop. There, forty feet away, was her First Officer sitting beside her Astrometics Officer, his hand on her knee. 

Her brain froze alongside her body. 

She could only stare with her mouth slightly agape, her heart ricocheting downward as it echoed away. Every ounce of small joy and happiness she’d tricked herself into feeling in the last few months crumbled to dust. She’d been lying to herself again, she knew, as she watched Chakotay’s bear-like hand tenderly covering Seven’s knee. She thought after the last spiral she’d finally nabbed her feelings, finally removed herself from Seven long enough that all her feelings were gone, that she no longer loved her. ...But she realized in that moment, those were all lies she told herself. 

As her eyes moved up so too did Seven’s, and for a brief millisecond they met across the mess hall. Her chest ached as the emotions began moving up through her. Overwhelming hurt, sadness, anger. It was all there, rising. 

She tore herself away before anyone could notice her inner breakdown, which was quickly going to make itself known on the outside. The tray clamored on the bar and she moved out of the mess hall in quick, powerful strides. 

She didn’t look back. 

*****

Seven watched the doors as they closed. Her Captain’s expression burned into her brain, her eidetic memory haunting her. She knew Janeway better than most, she’d studied her every move, every freckle and wrinkle and scar she could see. She could paint her with her eyes closed, and she had, in secret, in a locked holodeck. Everything the Captain thought, fleeting or lasting, Seven could see in her eyes, her eyes were always her give away. She could tell when the Captain was smiling but sad, or angry but disappointed, or serious but tender. The Captain was sometimes a walking contradiction, and sometimes the only thing Seven  _ could  _ see when in a room with her. 

That look on her face though, as she saw Chakotay’s hand on her knee, that one was particularly troubling. It seemed a rush of emotions had washed over her and before Seven could react, could return any form of expression, the Captain had gone, left her behind. 

“Seven?” Chakotay asked gently and pressed his hand onto her knee a little more firmly. 

She remained perplexed with her eyebrows furrowed. 

“What is it, Seven?” 

Seven looked down at his hand on her knee and he removed it quickly. 

“I’m sorry, Seven,” he uttered quickly. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’m sorry.” He rose from the table and dropped his tray off before leaving the mess hall.

Seven didn’t notice. Her eyes were fixed on the meal in front of her, a gelatinous white cube. She re-watched the memory of the Captain, closing her eyes as she zoomed in on Kathryn’s—her eyes were always her giveaway. Was she angry? Why? 

It dawned on Seven and hit her like a train. 

The Captain had always had a soft spot, had always spoken so positively, even when others were much less kind...

The Captain loved Chakotay. 

Kathryn, misunderstanding the situation, must have assumed Chakotay and her were... intimate. The thought disturbed her. When she had explored her sexuality, briefly, she had thought of Chakotay once, so see how her body responded. It was the same sensation she felt now, a mix of repulsion and vacancy. 

She pushed the cube away from herself and leaned back against the uncomfortable wall. It wasn’t comparable to the feelings that bubbled up inside when she thought of Kathryn. She loved saying her name in her mind, or quietly in Cargo Bay 2, elongating it like a purr. There was no repulsion, no vacancy there. Instead, it was like something she’d read in her research.

_ “I have a strange feeling with regard to you. As if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly knotted to a similar string in you. And if you were to leave I’m afraid that cord of communion would snap. And I have a notion that I’d take to bleeding inwardly...” _

She always discarded the last line of the poem, but now it seemed more relevant to her…

_ “As for you, you’d forget me.” _

* * *

On the bridge, Seven stood beside Tuvok and punched in data on his console. The Vulcan never seemed quite as bothered by her as he did others—she assumed it was because she didn’t waste time on inane ‘small talk’, as Kathryn had once called it. In turn, Seven never felt quite as uncomfortable with Tuvok as she did the rest of the crew. In another life, she thought, they could’ve been partners, though neither had much interest in each other physically. But good, platonic partners would’ve worked well. 

“What’s this part?” Chakotay asked as he slid around Seven, leaving his hand on the small of her back while he leaned over the console to see the data better. Seven grimaced to herself as his hand remained on her—it was unwelcomed and troubling. He hadn’t really ever been as touchy with her as he had been in the last few weeks. It seemed something had changed. 

“What’s going on?” 

Chakotay, Seven and Tuvok turned to find the Captain standing behind them, her arms crossed and her taut body tight. Her new training regime showed in her arms. 

Seven was thankful Chakotay’s hand was no longer on her, but while she pretended to listen to the Captain, all she could think of was running her hands down her sinewy arms and pulling her into an embrace. Her breath caught, mouth dried and a bead of sweat generated on her temple. It startled her, even after all this time of pining, her physical reactions to the Captain still surprised her.

But while the Captain continued to speak and Seven listened in and out, she realized their brave leader wouldn’t acknowledge her, wouldn’t even so much as look at her. She shrunk, she was sure, deflating as the woman she loved disregarded her. 

Before she realized, the Captain had disappeared back into the ready room—she was always walking away these days. 

Chakotay stood beside Tom to discuss a matter. 

“Seven,” Tuvok called gently and she turned back to the console. “Please make the appropriate changes as the Captain has advised, after checking in with B’Elanna Torres.” 

Seven looked at him blankly, realizing she really hadn’t heard a single word the Captain said. 

Tuvok looked between her eyes a couple times, the smallest bit of a frown building. Then it was gone. “Shall I repeat the Captain’s orders?” 

“That would be...” she swallowed as she tried to find her icy mask, “Favorable.” 

*****

Kathryn sat at her desk reading a PADD and sipping coffee. She realized she still hadn’t eaten that day, but after what she had seen a few days prior, she’d had trouble doing much of anything. While the crew prepared a test of some newer, Borg-infused equipment, they were still floating through a vast, uninhabitable sector with three more long months ahead. 

She absent-mindedly daydreamed about what would happen if cabin fever took over the ship as a whole. She’d have to give her officers portions of the crew to look after, section off the ship. She wasn’t going to sit back and let  _ Voyager  _ become a  _ Lord of the Flies _ situation. She gleefully thought she may even get the opportunity to stun a few crew members who had annoyed her in the past, just a stun of course, nothing really harmful in the long run. Plus, it’d give her an opportunity to really push herself. All that working out, and the simulations in the holodeck just weren’t cutting it. She needed a real challenge. 

She noticed that her leg was bouncing—hopefully cabin fever wasn’t already beginning. She remembered an old, old film from the 20th century that her mother had shown her when she was a girl. Despite the horrendous cheesiness of all the films from the 20th to the 22nd century, this one had etched itself into her mind, just as it had her mother. She was tempted to replicate a green tennis ball just as her badge chirped. 

“B’Elanna to the Captain.” 

“Captain, here.”

“We’re having some problems with the schematics Seven gave us. Can we get a couple more PADDs with the info  _ just _ for the split fusion coil?” 

“I’ll do you one better. She’ll be there soon.” Kathryn tilted her head as she waited for a response. “B’El—“

“Acknowledged.” 

She rolled her eyes. Of all the species on board and of all the strong women she was proud to call part of her crew, B’Elanna and Seven were always the first to tattle on each other to her. It was only made worse by the void of a sector, and Kathryn had nipped it in the bud quickly. She didn’t need them to be friends, but she did need all of her officers to set an example to the rest of the crew. If they couldn’t handle each other, both would be demoted and replaced. 

Even Seven, who was normally arrogant, even when she was apologizing, seemed to take the threat rather hard. Surely Seven understood that she meant their positions would be replaced, not they themselves. She wasn’t going to toss Seven aside or end their discussions over it, she just needed them to make some peace.

She grumbled at herself for thinking of Seven because of what came with it, the scene she had witnessed. When she closed her eyes at night, she saw it replayed in her mind on loop. When she showered, when she brushed her teeth, when she heard Seven’s name, when she thought of anything having to do specifically with Seven, even for a split second, there came the memory. It was seared in her brain, Chakotay’s hand on her knee. She didn’t remember anything else from the moment, who else was around or if Neelix had called her name with her coffee ready. That was all blank. But Chakotay’s hand on her knee… that was clear as a bell. 

With her hand in a fist she roughly pounded her desk once. She took a couple deep breaths and then rose, straightening her tunic. 

The doors to the ready room opened and she came out feeling refreshed and strong, only to be met with another slap in the face. He just couldn’t help himself, could he? In her mind she threw Tom out of her way, swung back and let her fist meet Chakotay’s jaw, and then in dramatic fashion, turned to Seven, pulled her into her arms and kissed her hard, though chaste. 

Instead, she pushed through the surge of pain and moved by Tom to stand behind her three officers. She waited a moment, expecting them to realize she was there, but she was quieter than she thought. 

Up close, his large hand on Seven’s back made her sick. How she had longed to touch Seven, to place her fingers along her cheeks and hair, down her shoulders and around her waist. How she pined for her, to kiss her softly and wrap herself around her. And here he was, lumbering around flaunting his prey. She knew Seven wasn’t anyone’s prey of course, but that didn’t mean  _ he _ saw it that way. The balls, she thought, for him to be so blatanting flaunting his achievement.  _ How dare he treat Seven with such machismo. How dare he.  _

It triggered a realization—did everyone see what was going on? Was she only aware because she watched Seven, or was Chakotay really being obvious? She turned back to glance at Tom who she knew had been eyeing her, she could always feel it when someone watched her, but now he pretended to punch in data at his console. What data could he possibly punch in? They were surrounded by  _ nothingness _ . 

She turned back, crossed her arms and steadied herself. “What’s going on?” 

The three officers turned around to face her and she focused exactingly on Tuvok. He was the only one she could treat with some semblance of professionalism. If she so much as glanced at Chakotay she feared she may try to throttle him. And if she looked at Seven… she’d melt into a pile of the goo Neelix called food. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a violent turn for some reason. Lots of “street fighting” like scenarios in the holodeck. No violence between KJ and 7. Just a head’s up.

Seven visited DaVinci’s workshop on more than one occasion. It was one of the places she felt closest to the Captain, ever since she’d brought her there not long ago, or at least it didn’t feel long ago. She’d taken precautions and programmed a few fail-safes to ensure she’d have the space completely to herself. 

The recreation of the Captain had been a perfect duplicate, but to Seven’s dismay she lacked all the things she loved most about the Captain. She couldn’t read her eyes, they lacked depth. Even her hands felt wrong. Seven had been too disturbed by the replication. She embraced her once, but it didn’t feel right.

Alone in holodeck 1, she still preferred the fail-safes and the false information she programmed into the system—no one would know where she went when she used the holodeck. The room was warm and dim, lit only by the fire where she had sat beside the real Kathryn. Pain ached in her heart as she looked at the space and remembered how it felt to be so close to her. 

Crying was a new action that she became well-acquainted with quickly. She was sure something was wrong with her after the first couple times, but she found it came along with the pain. 

Standing in front of the fireplace scene, she cried again, her eyes shut tight and wet streaks falling down her cheeks. 

She missed the Captain more than ever. 

*****

Kathryn threw herself into the fight, a particularly challenging fighting game that grew more and more difficult after each round. Holodeck 3 was transformed around her into a rooftop surrounded by other rooftops, taller and shorter. She always liked the cityscape for fighting, being so high above the ground—even if it were just in the holodeck. 

She stripped off her tunic and stretched in her red tank top, and wrapped white cloth a few times around her wrists. After she stretched out her legs she jumped up and down a few times to get her heart going. She stretched her neck one last time before giving the order to the computer. 

She bounced, staying loose on her feet, raising her fists up as a large man and a thinner one jumped over from opposite rooftops. She looked back and forth and decided to go for the thin one first—get the faster one while she was fresh. She threw a couple jabbs that he blocked easily. She smirked before unleashing a fury of punches, the last one a powerful uppercut that knocked him out cold. She bounced around him as he vanished and jumped up on a box and then again onto the higher rooftop. Grinning, she waved the large man over. 

“Any time now!” She lived for the taunt, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. 

The large man was surprisingly agile, swiftly sliding up to her rooftop. 

This would be much better, a better challenge. She danced around him as he lunged a few times making no contact. She surprised him and stomped on his foot. He toppled forward and she slammed an uppercut against his jaw. He stumbled back, but regained his footing and growled at her. 

A dark gleam shined in her eyes as she waited for the large man to make his way to her. Before he could throw his punch she slammed a cross into his chest, flipped around and elbowed him. From there it was easy to lead him to the edge and knock him over with a long, precise kick. A bell chimed—the round was finished. Sure, it was hard work, and she was working up quite a sweat, but it didn’t fill the itch. It wasn’t enough. 

The idea came to her with surprise, but was it really ethical? 

She was already so frustrated, she didn’t want  _ more _ frustration, so the decision was really already made. “Computer, lock holodeck 3.” 

“Holodeck 3 locked.” 

“Computer, run character 211 in craggy plateau number 2.” She wiped her forehead against her arm. 

The scene transformed around her and there she stood in the center of a mountainous, craggy plateau. Large, spiky boulders surrounded the circle of grass and moss. The north side was comprised of a rocky hill with more jagged boulders and slick moss.  _ This isn’t ethical…  _ It kept swirling in her mind as she took in the scene. 

She shook it off and closed her eyes. Everything told her not to do what she was going to do, but she needed to unleash the energy, and better here than with the real person. Hopefully this would do the trick and she wouldn’t be so conflicted all the damn time.

“Computer, turn off safety precautions. Authorization code Janeway alpha-2-2-1.” 

“Safety precautions have been disabled.” 

She took in and let out a deep breath. “Begin program,” she opened her eyes but remained perfectly still. The duplicate of her officer appeared a ways in front of her, his back to her. He slowly turned around and her jaw clenched as her anger grew. Ethical or not. 

He glared as he strode toward her. She waited as he closed in, waited until the very last moment before his fist would’ve struck her across the jaw. She ducked the hit and jabbed him four times in rapid succession straight to his gut. He stumbled backward and came back once again. Another succession of quick punches and hooks and he fell back. A tiny drop of blood came from his nostril, but he had that artificial feel—tiredless, vacant and rather calm. 

“Computer, raise aggression level by 30–by 50%.” 

There was a ding and the fake Chakotay was suddenly in her face. He got in a couple hard punches to her jaw, and a particularly hard one to her stomach. She leaned in a roll and moved away, putting some distance between them.  _ This is the fight I’ve been waiting for.  _

He crossed back and forth like a caged animal and she hit her fist into her hand a few times to pump herself up. Without reservation, a deep scream came from her like fire from a dragon. 

He stopped pacing and glared, his mouth opened and closed like he wanted to say something. 

“Speak!” She bellowed. 

Chakotay closed his mouth and came straight for her, breaking out into a full run. 

Kathryn realized he wouldn’t say a word without a change in the program. “Computer, freeze program.” Chakotay froze mid-stride. 

She put her hand through her hair, streaking it back with sweat.  _ Think, Kathryn, think.  _ She reached the panel on the wall and punched in a number of parameters angrily, ones she hoped would get her the approximate argument she wanted to have. She took her place, exactly as she was before, and unfroze the program. 

Chakotay stopped in his place, his new parameters taking effect. Some twenty feet away from her, he looked up and nearly spat, “She’s mine.” 

Kathryn’s heart leapt from her chest. It hurt more than she expected, but they were the words she  _ needed _ to hear. 

“She’s mine and she’s not yours,” Chakotay gravelly. 

Kathryn hopped in place again as she danced toward him, moving closer and closer, her heart pumping with steam and all the pent up energy she hadn’t been able to release. As she moved near he threw a punch but she easily side-stepped it, still moving around him. 

“She doesn’t want you—“

“You can’t claim her!” Kathryn spat. “She’s a person.” 

He stayed planted like a thick tree. “You’re not worthy of her affections.” 

That one enraged her and she attacked, slamming her body into him with her elbow. He pushed her back and they exchanged a few punches back and forth, both meeting their targets and blocking each other at the same rate. She went for a hook but he caught her arm and pulled her in. Kathryn took a hard blow to her nose and another to her side. He pushed her away and she stumbled, but caught herself before she met the ground. She winced at the pain at her side and checked her nose with her hand, it was smeared with blood. 

He drew closer to her, his hands up as if to show he wasn’t going to attack. “She will never love you.” 

Kathryn glared, her eyes lethal and her last bits of control ebbing away. She once again threw herself at him, prepared for his block. She tucked down as she rammed him, picking up his legs and slamming him to the ground. She straddled his torso and began striking, both fists taking turns against his head. She was going to kill him. She was going to kill her First Officer. Moral ambiguity no longer mattered. Replication or not, she was going to kill him. Her wrists ached as they repeatedly met fake bone, but he was still tense underneath her and she needed to feel him deflate, to fail.

In a spurt of energy, he was able to get a leg free and twisted it around so that she fell from her place of dominance. He rolled away into a standing position, then grabbing onto a boulder beside him, his head a bleeding mess, and his balance unstable, though he was able to remain on his feet. Kathryn rose once more, growing tired and slow, but she wasn’t satisfied. She longed for the high of winning, of beating him, not just physically, but metaphorically even more so.

She had more to give, she wasn’t done yet. Mustering up the energy, she lunged at him again, but this time he caught her. He rotated her and sent her spinning into the jagged boulder. She heard herself yelp as her cheek slid across a particularly sharp point on the rock. On the mossy ground, she touched her fingers to her cheek and felt the fresh warmth of blood. 

She grunted in frustration as she got to her feet and spun around to face him. “I hate you! I hate you!” She was a train building speed. “You took the one person I’ve ever loved!” Her voice caught in her throat. “You took her away from me, even after I told you how I felt about her! You did it on purpose!” A jagged breath. “You’re trying to punish me because I rejected you!” She moved toward him, upset more than angry. “I hate you!” She screamed as she raised her fist back to end the swaying, blinded man. 

But she stopped. “You know I love her,” tears fell from her eyes. “You know I love her and you…” She choked back the tears. “Are you really that angry with me? I’ve told you so many times, Chakotay, I don’t love you. And for you to…” The salt of a tear stung her cheek as it fell, but the pain was mild compared to what he had done to her in real ire. She whispered, “You said you were over  _ us _ . You said you understood there could never be an  _ us.  _ And then… what? You got pissed off? I told you I loved her because you promised that you’d always be there… You promised you were my friend.” She shook her head in disappointment. “I guess that’s over, huh? Now you’re… what? Using her to hurt me? Well, you’ve succeeded. You win, I guess. You win.” She turned around as the sadness hit her. She sobbed quietly.

Chakotay straightened up behind her, an ungodly grin on his lips. He raised his elbow high and slammed it into her back. She fell flat on the ground with a thud, another distant yelp coming from somewhere inside her. 

He kneeled on the moss, flipped her over and straddled her as she had done him. 

Sweat and blood dripped from his forehead as he looked down at her with indescribable disdain. 

Kathryn was dazed, trying to see through the blood and tears in her eyes. He struck her a few times, stumbling through his own blurred vision. Then, breathing hard, he leaned down toward her, “She’s mine.” 

No matter how angry, cloudy or alive she was, or how much she ached—he  _ had  _ won, hadn’t he? He was the one touching Seven, the one Seven may even… love. She stopped fighting and let her body go limp.  _ Kill me if you wish. I don’t care. _

“Captain?” 

Kathryn frowned, a distant voice came from somewhere else in the arena. 

“Oh,” a familiar voice said from behind Chakotay somewhere. “I apologize for intruding. I was asked to look in on you because your vital signs were irregular.” 

Seven stood a few feet away, unable to see the Captain hidden behind Chakotay on top of her. Seven waited a moment as the holodeck grew quiet. 

Chakotay's gravelly voice came back, “She’s mine.” 

Kathryn looked at Chakotay quickly. 

“She loves me.” He tilted his head as he watched Kathryn. 

She realized this version of Chakotay had become much more sadistic than the real one—even if he was trying to hurt her for rejecting him, he wouldn’t do  _ this _ . 

“What does that mean, Captain?” 

Seven was moving as she spoke and Kathryn, vision blurred, heard her gasp as she came around. She knew she looked awful—bloodied face and no doubt a broken nose, cut cheek mixed with dirt and her hands were no better. Before Kathryn could say a word, she felt Chakotay lifted from her. She wiped her eyes with her sweaty arm and squinted, finding Seven pushing Chakotay backward. She struck him and sent him flying backwards with a face-breaking punch. As he stood disoriented and snarling, the lithe blonde moved toward him with rage. Kathryn tried to speak but her voice was raw and tight. She watched as Seven sent her fist into a jagged boulder, picked up the large piece that broke off, blood running down her hand, and slammed the rock down on Chakotay in one, deafening thud. 

*****

The crumpled replication of Chakotay lying at Seven’s feet vanished and a bell rang. 

She stood, breathing hard, staring at the place where she had ruthlessly killed a fellow officer, holocharacter or not. 

She could hear her Captain across the mossy floor, but she couldn’t move. She’d done horrible things as a Borg, but she didn’t realize how capable she was of doing similarly horrendous things as a human, until now. But seeing the Captain pinned under him, and the blood and dejection in Kathryn… she would’ve killed anyone that had done that to her.  _ Holocharacter or not.  _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per requested, chapter 3 has been posted! Yay! This has been a really, really strange story to write. It wants to be a bunch of different things constantly, so I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. I've tried predicting/forcing plot in this story and found it will not obey, much like our stubborn Seven of Nine. 
> 
> I can say there will be *at least* one more chapter after this one. 
> 
> Enjoy, and thank you again for the support, comments and kudos!

Kathryn drummed her fingers on her desk. The PADD lay in front of her on a stand for thirty minutes but she’d given up on trying to make sense of the text. Her mind was lightyears away. She gently stroked the cut along her cheek from her swipe with the boulder, but the rest of her injuries had been taken care of. Seven had been gentle, surprisingly so, as she took her into her arms. She’d requested a beam from the holodeck to the Captain’s quarters, but Kathryn didn’t have the clarity of mind to object or consider the possible outcomes. 

Instead, she’d gladly fell into Seven’s arms and let her take over. Her eyes were heavy from exhaustion but even sitting in her office now, she could feel the cool sinktop where she sat, her back against the hard mirror. Seven stood between her legs, wetting a towel and gently wiping away the blood and dirt in long, smooth strokes. The cool liquid felt heavenly against her skin. The sharp pangs of pain receded into dull aches after Seven injected her with a hypospray. Then, she found herself weightless as she was carried from the bathroom to her bed. The covers already drawn, Seven laid her down gently and pulled the comforter over her. 

She’d still been dressed, except for her shoes and socks, but Kathryn didn’t care. She was barely cognizant of her surroundings, let alone her attire, or how she looked. She recalled waking up a few times and sitting up with a start. Soft, cool fingers touched her shoulders and carefully set her down again, with warm breaths against her neck that made her tingle. “It’s okay, Kathryn,” the voice whispered and echoed through her mind as she fell back into deep sleep. 

Then, in the morning, she’d opened her eyes wide-awake and sat up, unsure if Seven had in fact been there or if she’d only dreamed it. A sideways smile grew as she found the chair in the corner of the room. It was faced toward her, and although no one sat there, she knew then that Seven had spent most of the night there, keeping an eye on her. 

But since then, some six hours ago, Seven had disappeared. She thought she might see her on the bridge when Kathryn finally got there, but she didn’t. She spoke with the crew, Chakotay and Tuvok and Tom briefly, and managed to dodge their inquiries about the cut on her cheek. She thought of sitting at her Captain’s chair but a thought crossed her mind—what if Seven was in her waiting room? 

Disappointed, she hadn’t been right about that either. All she found was a stack of PADDs, new and older ones she’d been avoiding. Although she’d tried with great effort to concentrate on the dry information, she knew there wasn’t much of a chance. 

The way Seven had looked when she saw Kathryn’s face, and the way Seven had flung Chakotay across the room… It was as disturbing as it was something else, something she wasn’t quite sure how to label. And then the way she had punched through a boulder and so swiftly brought it down on the fake Commander… It was animalistic, brutal, indomitable. But just as expeditiously, Seven went from rage and power to tender and sensitive. The way she’d held Kathryn, her fingers pressing into her lower back and and arm around the back of Kathryn’s neck as she lifted her from the ground. Even through the pain she felt her own body cling to Seven, her arms about her waist and a few quiet tears as she rested her head against Seven’s chest. 

The ex-Borg’s hands were strong and firm against her back as she embraced her. Kathryn knew Seven had spoken, said a short few words, but her ears were ringing from the fight and she couldn’t hold onto her consciousness as she slipped in and out. 

“Captain?” Chakotay stood in front of her desk looking at her with suspicion. “Are you alright?” 

She blinked a few times and locked onto the PADD. “Fine.” 

She knew he wouldn’t buy it but she didn’t realize a few tears had fallen down her cheeks until she gently touched the cut. Whie Chakotay grabbed a chair, she wiped the tears quickly and put on her Captain’s mask as if it were a welding helmet—all hidden except for the small window in front of her eyes. 

“What’s going on, Kathryn?” 

She didn’t react outwardly, but inwardly she found herself annoyed with him. Why did he think he could use her name like this? They were both on duty. She didn’t need  _ tending  _ to, especially not by him. She bit back her own thoughts, unsure if she was really being fair to the real Chakotay while she was still thinking of the fake one. 

“Commander?” Kathryn asserted seriously. 

He gave her a knowing smile and it irked her. She tried to hide her annoyance but she could feel the slightest scowl forming just beneath the surface. 

He held up his hands, “I won’t press. Do you want to tell me what happened?” He pointed with his chin at her cut. 

She remained frozen, icy. She knew she wasn’t being fair, but she resented him. He bested her. He was on top at the end of the fight. Hell, he could’ve killed her. Maybe he and Seven did belong together, if they were the two strongest members of the crew. How long would it be before he took Seven and then  _ Voyager _ ? Would he let her remain on board? Could she remain on board? Would she want to remain on board?  _ Fine _ , he could have  _ Voyager _ , if he thought he could get the crew home better than her then fine, take it. But her dear friend, a friend she once thought of as a brother, had come along and began whittling away and constructing a divide between her and Seven. He wanted to punish Kathryn, she knew that much for sure, but just like in the fight, he was besting her once again. He was winning. 

She’d had enough. It was too much to bear to lose her friend and to lose someone she loved, had always loved since the minute she held her in the brig. 

She leaned back in her chair and eyed him. She was in charge, not him. And she knew damn well that the crew was behind her. It would take an army for him to remove her from the Captain’s chair, and hell would freeze over before she let anyone come between her and Seven, no matter what their relationship was. Sure, she may never have Seven the way she wanted, never beside her in her bed, or to kiss her and hold her, but she also wouldn’t stop talking to her and seeing her, and having discussions with her, or dreaming of her. 

“Chakotay,” she began, taking a long, confident drink of her cold coffee. “What happened?” 

“You’re the one with the cut, Kathryn.” 

She knew his game well, saying her first name deliberately to attempt to make her feel smaller, to showcase his obvious disregard for her authority. It wouldn’t work. Not any more. She smiled into her cup and then turned seriously to him again. “I’m tired of beating around the bush, Commander. You’ve been trying to punish me for months now. Out with it already.” 

His eyes grew shiny and resentful, the lines along his face rigid and dark. “You’re in love with her,” he forced through his teeth. He continued once he understood she wasn’t going to respond to the statement. “When she came here, you changed. I haven’t seen  _ that  _ Kathryn since. You cut off your hair,” he eyed her hair affectionately, remembering the way it felt the few times he’d had an opportunity to touch it. But his eyes grew hard again. “You’re not the same person. She ruined that. You and I, Kathryn… we’re meant for each other. You know that, deep in your heart. You know that’s true. We’ve always… it’s always been  _ us _ .” He gave her a warm smile, unaware of the hard expression she held toward him. “I know you love me, Kathryn. You always have.” 

She closed her eyes. The sound of her name coming from his lips was like metal scraping and grating and shrilling in her head. It gave her unpleasant sensations, as if she could feel it under her nails as she streaked across a chalkboard. 

“I don’t,” she said clearly. “I don’t love you, Chakotay. Not how you’re meaning. I never have. I’m sorry if that’s hard to hear, but I think you need to hear it.” 

“It’s her!” He stood and placed his large fists on the desk, his body tensed. “If she weren’t—”

“No, Chakotay. This has nothing to do with her.” She rose from her chair, empty coffee cup in hand and walked around her desk. She passed by him, his fists seemingly glued to the table top, and ordered a fresh cup from the replicator. The hot liquid coated her throat and sent her a jolt of alertness. She absentmindedly touched the cut on her cheek again as she turned around. 

“I am sorry, Chakotay.” She watched his back, the only thing he was showing her with his fists on the desk facing away from her. “You’ve been a true comrade to me, and you’re a damn fine Commander. I will always love you as a dear, dear friend. Someone I hope to know for the rest of my life.” She set the coffee cup down on the desk and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I need to know that you can come back from this. Everything you’ve been doing has to end now. You cannot, I will not permit you, or anyone else on this ship, to use or hurt crew members or purposefully cause improper pain, mentally or physically. Do you understand?” 

She felt his shoulder relax a little and she nodded to herself. He could return to who and how he was before this mess. She believed he could and if he did too, then he would. She released him and took up her coffee cup again. She was passing by him once more to return to her desk when he quickly turned around and grabbed her wrist. It was more forceful than he meant, and he released a little, though not altogether. 

She met his eyes and gave him a small smile. She knew the hurt of unrequited love. She knew it was painful and agonizing, and that it would take time to mend. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. He cleared his throat and tried again, “I’m sorry.” 

Examining his face, his eyes especially, she knew he was being genuine. Love could make you do stupid, ridiculous things. No matter how far they’d come as humankind, love was still bound to make you crazy until you could sort out the deluge of emotions it bore. She was glad to see a glimmer of her friend again. She knew, and supposed he knew, that in time not far he would need to apologize to Seven and the other commanders as well, and most likely take a refresher course in workplace behavior. A simple conversation and quiet apology would not be enough. He would need to build the Captain’s trust again, and then maybe Kathryn would let him back in, too. But it all started with this step, it started with the Captain taking the matters on full force and saying what needed to be said. Just the thought of Seven made her blush. 

Chakotay’s hand still rested around her wrist, though his expression had shifted considerably. “Have you told her?” 

She met his eyes, locked there. She wanted to divulge her feelings, expel them from inside so she didn’t have to carry them any more, and they grew so heavy, heavier each day. But he was not the one who she needed to talk to, and he wasn’t allowed to be part of her personal life for now, not after the way he’d been treating Seven. A little prickle of sadness came over her as she realized how disappointed she was to have nearly lost Chakotay as a friend, and a layer of anger lingered over it, for his appalling behavior in the last few months. 

She blinked at the floor and then back at him again. “Let go of me.” 

The doors of the ready room opened and Seven strode in just as she heard Kathryn’s words,  _ Let go of me.  _ She froze for a millisecond as the door closed. As she computed Chakotay’s hand around the Captain’s wrist, Kathryn turned to find Seven’s sympathetic nervous system kicking in. 

Her heart beat faster, her breathing quickened, her body became tense as her pupils enlarged. 

Kathryn knew Chakotay had no chance if she wasn’t quick, so she pulled her wrist away and stepped in front of him before Seven could grab his throat. She nearly kissed Kathryn as she knocked into her. Unsure what to do, the Captain wrapped her arms around her and held her tight. “It’s not what it looks like.” She waited til Seven relaxed, though she could feel every quick breath against her ear. 

This was the second time Kathryn had to calm a close crew member and she knew this would be the last time she needed to between these two, if Chakotay kept his word. She released Seven carefully, though she let her hand brush against Seven’s, unwilling to be without the feel of her. Seven nearly growled at Chakotay but he kept his eyes down at the floor. Seven preferred him his way—weak and silent. The blood still pumping in her ears made her plead for any reason to strike him, but he never did. 

Kathryn gently pressed Seven against her desk and pointed for her to stay put. She took Chakotay by the arm and led him to the ready room doors. “I want you to take some time off. At least a few days, understood?” 

He nodded, his eyes still down. She wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but she knew she couldn’t offer him any more comfort. He’d made many, many mistakes, and she wasn’t going to be his rescuer. He needed to do that for himself, so he could begin to move on. Still, he didn’t move. Kathryn raised her eyebrows, waiting. 

He turned, and held his head up slightly, his eyes glancing at Seven, who he found hostile, though constrained. “I’m sorry, Seven. I never should’ve… I’m sorry.” He nodded once without meeting her eyes and exited the ready room. 

Kathryn waited a few moments, staring at the doors that closed behind him. Ahead of her, one difficult task finished, and behind her, another one percolating. 


	4. Chapter 4

Kathryn convinced Seven to take a walk with her. Seven needed to calm down and Kathryn needed to build up her resolve. She’d led them out through the bridge, with no word to her staff, and no questions asked from them, to her relief. They’d walked along one, then two decks, and she was well aware that Seven’s anger had dissipated. But neither muttered a word to each other, and when an occasional crew member greeted her, Kathryn nodded with a smile that fell as soon as they were alone again. 

She wasn’t sure if she’d done it on purpose or not, but they’d walked to the holodeck. Of course. Kathryn’s heart thumped in her chest and she was sure Seven could hear it, maybe even feel it. She had to do this, she had to just  _ do it. _ She took a short, hard breath, remembered all the times she had to force herself to be confident in any number of situations as she moved up the ranks of command. She punched in a few parameters and the holodeck door opened. She stepped into the threshold and turned back to look at Seven full-on since they’d left her ready room. 

Her voice came out timidly, almost as if it came from somewhere else. “Will you take a walk with me?” She gestured to the holodeck. Seven met her eyes for a few long, brief moments. 

“I will comply.” 

The doors closed behind her and she found them in a large, hilly park. A pond sat at the center with ducks, a few holopeople wandered, a couple here, some kids there. One young girl was sending out a little ship into the pond with her father beside her. 

It was warm but the sky was hazy and it sat like a comforting blanket—this was a safe place, a special one. She followed Kathryn down one of the paths that snaked around the entire park and fell in stride with her. 

Here they were again, walking in silence. Seven wondered, feared, what Kathryn was going to tell her—she knew it was coming, but she didn’t want to let go of her. She loved her. She wanted to be with her, not give her up, especially not because of Chakotay, or  _ Voyager _ or the absurdity of Starfleet regulations. She never quite believed that excuse anyway, it seemed like one of those human platitudes or excuses for hiding true feelings. But that didn’t matter now. Right now she was on a trek that she knew would end with heartbreak. 

The sky greyed as time went by, and a grumble of thunder came from afar. The walk began to feel like a dirge. Her patience was wearing thin and Seven wasn’t sure she could stand being so close to Kathryn without saying how she felt. Everytime their arms brushed against each other, she felt warmth in every pore of her body, and everytime they seperated she felt the cold drafting in. 

They made their way around the otherside of the pond. Seven looked around for the little girl and her boat, but concluded they must have gone while they were on the opposite side of the park. Too bad, she thought, she wanted to see them closer up. For a moment, Seven thought it was the girl beside her but she knew those hands better than her own. Kathryn slid her fingers between Seven’s and held onto her as they continued their walk on the winding path. 

Seven’s blood pumped from her ears to her chest, to her center and back up again to her head. Her blinks grew longer as she relished the tingling warmth that grew from their connected flesh and she knew her ears were red, and she knew Kathryn glanced at her every few steps, but she just didn’t want it to end. If she stopped, if she spoke, then Kathryn would have to explain why they couldn’t be together, that she didn’t love her. It would kill her. She couldn’t give her the opportunity to end her dreams, Kathryn would have to do that on her own. 

As they neared a turn to go westward again, Kathryn tugged at her and Seven followed. They diverged off the path and walked across the grass, Kathryn glancing at her a few times but both women’s lips sealed. They walked to a knee-high fence that surrounded the park and Kathryn stepped over first. Seven followed suit, her fingers still firmly intertwined with Kathryn’s. They continued on a dirt path that changed into a pebbled one as it led them away from the park and into the woods. Tall, spindly trees lined the pathway and soon there was only the quiet sounds of the woods and the rolling thunder following behind them. 

For a second, Seven wondered where they were going, but she pushed the thought away. Kathryn could be leading her to the Borg Queen and she still would not let go—for as long as Kathryn held her hand she wouldn’t deviate from the journey. They began to pass a couple driveways that led to small cottages made of stone, brick, cedar and spruce. Some had smoke rising from the chimneys, others had warm light that shone through curtains. The quiet was lovely and Seven enjoyed listening to Kathryn’s breaths beside her, the sounds of pebbles and dirt beneath their feet, the occasional distant hoots as night began to fall. 

The driveways grew fewer and fewer as they continued up the hill until they reached the end of the road and found a single driveway that continued on. Seven stopped as Kathryn did, keeping herself focused on the path, as to avoid Kathryn’s eyes. She didn’t want it to end. She wanted to walk with her forever.

Relief washed over her as Kathryn continued on and they climbed the steep driveway. As they came to the top, Seven gazed at the small cottage, some 30 meters ahead. Seven observed it as they drew closer. There was smoke coming from the chimney—was someone there? There were a few lights on, too, that she could see through the cracks of deep red curtains. The door was also deep red, and the front steps were constructed from large slabs of stone. Seven followed behind Kathryn, their hands still together, as she led them into the cottage. 

It smelled of warmth and firewood and tea, and although Seven had prayed no one would be there, she was surprised there really wasn’t. She eyed the fireplace and the small sofa in front of it, the kitchenette on the other side. Kathryn stopped behind the sofa and turned to Seven. She took her other hand and held their connectedness in front of them.

Seven’s heart pumped in her ears again, and she was consumed by dread and desire, unsure which would win out if Kathryn didn’t say anything soon. She still couldn’t look at her either way, she couldn’t meet the Captain’s eyes because she was afraid of what she would do. She was afraid to let go of the little control she had left. 

“Look at me, Seven,” Kathryn whispered. 

She shook her head and kept her eyes glued to the sofa. 

Kathryn took a staggered breath and a miniscule step forward. “Do you know where we are?” 

Seven shook her head. 

“This is one of my favorite places. It’s not real, I mean it’s not from a real place. But I’ve always thought I’d like to live in a cottage like this, even if it’s just for a few months of the year. To get away from everything, to live surrounded by nature and the stars on a clear night. A nice park. Nice people who don’t strive for material things… I’ve never brought anyone here before.” 

Seven tilted her head but she couldn’t remove her eyes from the dark, fuzzy green sofa. 

“I never thought, not really, that there would be anyone to bring… I’ve just never had good luck with relationships…” 

Seven’s ears were perked, her heart fluttering at every word, at every sound that Kathryn made. 

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not, but... I am in love with you, Seven. I always have been.” 

Goosebumps ran along Seven’s entire body and she finally met her eyes, though she didn’t hold herself in the same strong manner she usually did. There was still that debilitating doubt. 

Kathryn on the other hand, held herself perfectly erect, power and something else behind her eyes. Maybe it was anger, Seven thought at first, but as Kathryn took a step closer, she knew what the look was. She couldn’t have mistaken it because it was the same look she’d had for the Captain on a constant basis. 

Kathryn grazed her fingers against her cheeks. One hand fell along her hair and down her neck onto her shoulder. Her thumb skimmed her lips before she smiled at Seven, looking over all of her features with pained devotion in her eyes. 

Seven embraced her without thinking. She pressed into her back with her hands as she leaned in and pressed her lips against Kathryn’s. 

She slid her tongue along her rough lip and then found breathtaking smooth and softness as she moved further in. Kathryn drew her in further, feeling her own thumping heart beating against Seven’s. 

She battled her mind, still believing that at any moment Kathryn may tell them to cease, that they could not continue, but she was losing the battle of control over herself. 

To her pleasure, she felt the moan that came from Kathyn’s throat and it launched her into a sky full of stars. Their kiss deepend and grew messier as Kathryn wrapped her arms tightly around Seven’s neck, her chest clad against her own. It was easy to lift her then, but Seven wasn’t sure where to go. Another cacophonous whimper came from Kathryn and Seven knew she needed to take her now, she needed a place to make love to her right now.

Kathryn dragged her lips away, breathing heavily, “That way.” She nodded toward a door Seven had missed earlier, off to the side of the fireplace. Seven looked back at her and gazed, smiling as she noticed how flush she was, how fervent and aroused she made her Captain. She could smell it on her. Every part of her ached to feel her skin against her own, to taste and suck and swallow and inhale her. But she needed to know before they went further, before they went into the room beyond the door. 

“Kathryn…” Seven whispered, leaning her forehead against hers and running an exoskeletal finger over burning lips. 

“I love you, Seven. I brought you here because I want to be with you…” she eyed the door behind her and then met Seven’s fearful gaze again. “Not just like this and not just here. I mean, out there, too, on the ship, in my life.” 

“Regulations…” 

“Those were changed as soon as we dropped into the Delta. I tried to deny it, just like I’ve tried denying how I feel about you…” She tightened her grip on Seven’s bicep. “It hasn’t worked, and frankly,” she beamed as she leaned back and took in Seven’s beauty. “I don’t care who doesn’t like it. I want you, to be with you, if you want me…” 

Seven smiled as she saw the same fear in Kathryn that she herself had just harbored and released. The redhead was afraid to look her in the eyes, afraid of her response. 

Kathryn made a little sound of surprise as Seven grabbed her and took her to the door. Inside the room, on the bed, she lay over Kathryn, straddling her and lowering her lips to Kathryn’s once more. “I’m in love with you.” Swiping her fingers along her new partner’s cheek, she bit her lip. “I want to show you how much.” 

She whispered against her lips as she hovered just above her, “I love you, Kathryn.”

The redhead smiled widely before pulling her beloved against her body.  _ That _ was the way her name was supposed to sound—from Seven’s lips, like the gentle rain that enveloped them in the cottage; perfection. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is the end but I also hate being a tease. LMK if you want a follow-up chapter. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Kathryn moaned Seven's name and it flung the blonde into ecstasy. She raked her teeth and tongue against Kathryn's neck and over her shoulder as she pushed the material away. 

Kathryn pushed her back, yanked her uniform top off and discreetly watched Seven’s reaction. It was an ogle met with a gaze. It would do. Kathryn reached around her back to unclasp her bra but Seven stopped her.

"Let me, Kathryn."

She grinned as she set her hands on Seven's thighs, her heart clamoring in her chest and her flesh tingling. 

Seven's left hand fingers were cool against her skin. Starting from the cut on her cheek, she let her fingers trace Kathryn's neck, then her clavicle, then further down between her breasts. Kathryn shivered under her and it triggered Seven, made her wet and thrilled. 

"Please, Seven…"

The blonde grinned at her, her eyes shut tight and trying to hold on. Seven reached around her back and unclasped the final piece of material. She inched the material away, sliding her fingers under it and pulling it off. Kathryn attempted to hide herself as she looked away, but Seven lunged forward and kissed her deeply. 

Seven’s tongue glided around Kathryn’s mouth while her hands moved across her breasts and tickled down her sides. Seven hastily undid her pants, only as much as she needed before she slipped in her hand. She relished the feel of wetness and sensitivity, finding Kathryn moving with her hand gave her a flush of excitement. She slid fingers against her skin, deeper and, then penetratingly inside. 

Kathryn took in a sharp breath and Seven watched her with delight. She moved her fingers in further, and moved with the rhythm Kathryn set. She knew the Captain was closing in on a peak, but Seven wasn’t ready for it to end. In a quick, decisive motion, she wrapped her lips around Kathryn’s breast and nibbled on the pointed flesh. The moan she elicited was unlike any noise Seven had ever heard—a growl with a whimper, an uncontrolled break, a moment of undying pleasure oozing with uninhibited rapture. 

For the first time since Seven could recall, her mind quieted like never before and her body took over. She moved Kathryn into another frenzy as Kathryn grappled Seven’s back and breathed hotly against her neck. Seven’s own body shook, desperate for her lover’s touch. Kathryn understood, perhaps even better than Seven did, despite her rising heights, exactly what they needed. 

She adjusted so she was able to raise her knee, and her thigh met Seven’s center. Seven moved against her leg as she penetrated Kathryn deeper than the redhead knew was possible. Her breath hitched and Seven hurried her own movements. In a final thrust and hooking of her fingers, both women bit each other’s shoulders and came together. 

  
  


Seven’s head rested against Kathryn’s bare breast while the Captain’s slender fingers caressed her up her arm and down again. 

“You know we can’t stay here, darling. We’re still in the holodeck.” 

Seven wrapped her arm around her tighter. “I do not wish to be without your company.” 

Kathryn smirked—Seven could feel it without looking. 

“I think not. You would need your full strength to get away from me that easily. Even then…” Kathryn bobbed her head back and forth as she considered it. 

Seven slipped away from her breast with a smile and then placed a tender kiss against Kathryn. She trailed a few more kisses down her neck and across her shoulder again, being especially gentle where she’d bitten down on her. A bruise was already starting to darken, and she smiled to herself knowing she had a matching one. 

“No, no,” Kathryn whispered. She held Seven back and gazed at her. “It’s my turn.” 

Seven gulped in anticipation—the dark look that swept over Kathryn’s eyes instantly began a throbbing inside her. 

“But… I want to make love to you in  _ my _ bed.” 

She tilted her head a little, trying to not be wholly distracted by Kathryn’s fingers running along her flesh. “Will I be able to stay?” 

“The night?” 

Seven tried to hide her embarrassment. 

“If you try to leave my bed before morning,” She tilted Seven’s head back to face her, “I’ll reprimand you.” She smiled lopsidedly. 

“Someone may see me leaving your quarters… Unless you mean I should leave early in the morning before the day shifts begin.” 

Kathryn’s smile widened. Her little protector. Her tall, hot, beautiful, wonderful knight. “Let them see, Seven. I want them to,” she whispered as she placed her lips beside her ear. “I want everyone to know who they’ll have to deal with if they try to come between us.” 

Again, Seven was sure Kathryn could hear her heart pounding, but this time she didn’t care. She whispered back, “I believe you are speaking about both of us, about each other. Is this correct?” 

Kathryn laughed quietly in her ear, her breath tickling Seven and leaving goosebumps down her neck. “I love you, Seven. I don’t want to hide it anymore.” She leaned back and watched a smile grow across Seven’s lips. Intending to lure her in again, she let the blanket slip off her to reveal her bare chest. She watched Seven carefully as the blonde gazed. She pulled her close but kept her lips from Seven’s. 

“Computer, Janeway to transporter room 1.” 

“Yes, Captain?” A voice came over the room. 

Seven ran her tongue over Kathryn’s bottom lip and the Captain took a breath before continuing. “Two to beam to the Captain’s quarters.” 

Kathryn pulled Seven into her room and pushed her onto the bed. She climbed up her long, nude legs and stopped at Seven’s thighs. She kissed the hot and wet skin until Seven opened for her, her knees caging Kathryn in her favorite prison. 

She touched her tongue softly against Seven and let the point of her tongue slide into her folds. Seven’s breath caught and she grabbed Kathryn’s hair. 

Kathryn looked up and met her eyes from down her body. Seven was ready, her eyes heavy but sharp, her breaths short and blood thumping. Kathryn grinned before she returned. She dragged her tongue along Seven’s sensitive skin and then glided inside, finding incredible smoothness stunning and exhilarating her. 

_ At last, darling,  _ Kathryn thought,  _ at last.  _


End file.
